Dispersion of the carbon nanotubes (DWNTC) by the cationic surfactants imidazolinium type

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) discovered over the past fifteen years are very interesting materials because of their structural, mechanical, chemical and electronic properties. CNTs have arisen considerable attention owing to their attracting potentialities, and the great interest for their applications in wide and varied fields. CNTs are in the form of soot sparse, brittle and isotropic, they form bundle like structures with very complex morphologies with a high Vander Waals interactions, causing a poor solubility in aqueous or organic medium. The first challenge to use them effectively is to separate their initial aggregated assemblies in homogeneous suspension. Therefore, significant research efforts have already been devoted now to optimize and develop new processes, but the simple route to achieve this task based in particular the use of surfactants.Moreover, to cross the technological barrier of dispersion, the different techniques are often associated (hybrid processes). In this study, we propose new approach for the stabilization of dispersion based on the use of cationic surfactants (Imidazoliniumtype) synthesized from raw materials available in Algeria. Two surfactants used in this study were Imidazolinium Iodide and Imidazolinium Bromide. The results shows a homogeneous dispersions of CNTS with sonication with Imidazolinium Iodide (10 CMC) for two months.